Familiar Faces In Unusual Places
by FelgaHelzio96
Summary: Rose recognizes Jack but she can't quite place her finger on where from. Present-day one-shot. Requested birthday fic for Arashi Wolf Princess.


**A/N: Written as a birthday fic for Arashi Wolf Princess. DISCLAIMER: James Cameron owns Titanic and its characters!**

**Prompt: Rose's first impression of Jack is that he looks familiar, but she isn't sure as of where, and is curious to know why but her mother isn't forthcoming with the information.**

* * *

_**2014...Paris, France **_

"Do I know you from somewhere, Monsieur?" asked a vibrant ginger-haired young lady to a scruffy blonde-haired young man on the bustling Parisian streets.

"You do look familiar, Madame," the young man laughed, tucking his sketch pad under his left arm. He flashed a sly smirk at the young lady's mother.

The older copper-haired lady, who was standing beside the younger lady, was growing impatient and uncomfortable. "Don't be ridiculous, as if _my _daughter could possibly be associated with the likes of a ruffian like you," she scoffed. "Come, darling, we must not be seen with such street scum," she tisked, leading the younger lady away from the scene. Leaving the blonde man scowling after them.

Ruth DeWitt Bukater refused to let her daughter's old flame interfere with her engagement to a wealthy business heir. The year before, Rose DeWitt Bukater had a short affair with a travelling artist, his name was Jack Dawson. Ruth had been so disgusted at their difference in social status, that she'd paid the Dawson man three hundred dollars to skip town, and then had her daughter hypnotized to forget who he was.

"Mother, but I think I _do _know who that man is! I can't remember his name or where I met him... but he looks so familiar," Rose mused, looking at her mother. Her piercing emerald eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"No, you don't know him at all. Now drop the subject," Ruth demanded coldly.

"Why are you acting so weird?" Rose asked suspiciously.

"I'm not, Rose. Come on, Caledon is waiting at the hotel. He planned this special engagement trip, we must not keep him waiting long, it's rude..." Ruth snapped impatiently, dragging Rose along.

* * *

The next morning, Rose had decided to go for some fresh air. On her way to the park, she passed a small crepe shop, and let the delightful sweet scents waft over her. She decided to have breakfast, and walked inside.

Sure enough, sitting at a table in the far corner, was the 'street scum' artist guy. _Damn... he looks so familiar! I don't care what Mother says... I must have met him somwhere. But what was his name? Jason...no. John...no. Joel... definitely not. Ergh!_

"Hey, are you gonna stare at me all day or would you like to sit down?" a voice snapped her from her reverie. The man was looking at her as if she were insane.

"Oh...er...sure," Rose mumbled shyly, taking a seat across from him. "I was just about to order a crepe, but I left my purse in the hotel room..."

"No problem, you can have this one. I'm full," Jack slid his plate with a warm chocolate crepe on it across the table.

"Thank you so much, Mr..." Rose trailed off. _Clawson...no. Lawson...no. Darwin...no!_

"Dawson, Jack Dawson," Jack chuckled.

"Even your name is familiar..." Rose shook her head. "Do you know who I am?" she asked, hoping his memory was better than her own.

"Are you alone?" Jack asked her, his bright seafoam eyes darting around the room nervously.

"Yes," Rose replied, confused.

"You're Rose DeWitt Bukater. We met last year at a street fair in New York City, and had a short affair. Then your mom found out, and she paid me to skip town, she didn't think I was right for you because I wasn't rich," Jack explained.

Suddenly, it all clicked into place for Rose. "She _paid _you? That's despicable! I can't believe she'd do that to me!" she cried out in disgust.

Jack shrugged, picking at his vanilla crepe. "Yeah... but anyways, you're engaged to someone else now," he commented casually.

"How did you know that?" Rose asked, eyes widening.

"Ever heard of the news sweetheart?" Jack smirked, sipping his coffee.

"Oh...yes..." Rose blushed. "Well, if you care to know, this marriage is being shoved down my throat. After our fling last year, Mother rushed me into a respectable marriage...and now I realize why. She was paranoid I'd fall for someone else that didn't fit her standards. She's desperate to keep her social status after my dad ran off with some Los Vegas showgirls and left us all his bad debt..." she explained.

"Damn, that must suck for you," Jack agreed absent-mindedly.

"Look... I'm not sure what my mother did to make me forget who you were, but I'm not like her. I don't care about money... I was in love with you then, and now that I remember you, I still love you right now," Rose said hurriedly, as all the fun memories of herself and Jack came flooding back.

"But we can never be," Jack shrugged.

"Why are you acting like you don't care?" Rose asked him, annoyed.

"Because I don't want my heart broken again. I loved you, and it ended in utter humiliation," Jack snapped. He immediately regretted it, seeing the look that had come across Rose's face. "Sorry..."

"Please, we can be in love again, Jack! I won't let Mother get between us again, I promise. We'll run away... where haven't you travelled to yet? I'll go with you," Rose offered desperately. She didn't love Cal, and had been feeling like something was missing from her life ever since last year. That missing piece had been Jack.

"Tokyo," Jack replied simply.

"Like... in Japan?" Rose asked him.

"Is there another?" Jack teased.

"Well... no... I suppose not," Rose couldn't help but giggle at his goofy smirk.

"Meet me here tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock," Jack told her, grabbing his sketch pad and gulping down the rest of his coffee. "See ya," he said, getting up and walking out the doors as if nothing had happened.

Rose watched him go. "See ya," she sighed dreamily.


End file.
